Danger Lurks Below
The Adventures of Sunset and Meteor: Danger Lurks Below. Book One of Sunset and Meteor. Published by Mascot Comics. Copyright 2025 Mascot Comics. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher. All characters, their distinctive likenesses and related elements featured in this publication are trademarks of Mascot Comics. For information regarding permission, write to Mascot Comics, Attention: Permissions Department, 530 E McDowell Road #107-80, Phoenix, AZ 85004. Names, characters, places, and incidents featured in this publication are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
978-1-967422-00-5
All characters created by Matthew Solberg and Travis Hanson, except: Sunset and Meteor created by Matthew Solberg, Travis Hanson, and Anthony Jude Hernandez La Integridad created by Matthew Solberg, Travis Hanson, and Valentino Moreira
World”, music written by Ray Henderson and lyrics by Sam M. Lewis and Joe Young. Published 1925.
As are you! our components connect upon landing!
Meteor! you’re fully built!
Landing?! this is an explosive crash into hard terrain.
i’ve located a small spring near our anticipated crash site. Where are we and how did we get here?
my memory systems are turning on now.
Story created by Matthew Solberg & Travis Hanson
Written by Matthew Solberg
Art by Travis Hanson
color flats by Catherine Hanson
Deep into space, far, far away...
...is a planet that specializes in building robots.
Sunset and Meteor are two special robots that were created for a special client.
Soon they were finished and packaged for their trip.
Then loaded on to a special delivery ship.
Entering Coordinates and ready for launch.
this caused the ship to be thrown off course.
3, 2, 1... lift off! and launched off to their destination.
but not everything went as planned.
there was a malfunction in the navigation system.
heading to a planet called earth.
In a spectacular blast of energy and fire the ship smashed through the atmosphere...
finally crashing near a traveling carnival.
...over the arizona landscape in 1925.
who curiously went to investigate.
Sunset and Meteor lay unharmed in the wreckage.
well, i’ll be.
let’s help them out. easy now.
they look like mechanical men.
thank you for your assistance. we sure appreciate it.
why hello, i’m Sunset and this is my companion Meteor.
i think we are a little lost.
welcome my friends. welcome to our traveling circus. as you can see we are all unique here.
feeling kindred spirits Sunset and Meteor decide to join this band of adventurers.
we would love for you to join us.
... what is ringleader kirby barks thinking? bringing mechanical men into our carnival. Has everyone already forgotten what happened last time he did this?!
it’ll be an adventure.
Cyclopean Canyon, Arizona. A sleepy town with big personalities.
home to the oneeyed bandit copper and turquoise mine that Sustains their lives.
the spring warmth is thawing the chill of winter.
Anticipation builds as the carnival approaches to break the doldrums of small town life.
Soon there will be empty peanut shells on the floor, cotton candy on the lips, and dots of color that spark love in eyes of the children as the grand carnival arrives.
...by using this pole as a fulcrum we can more easily move the tent beams into place. isn’t that right, sunset?
see, they’re smart and funny. i knew they would fit in.
Wooden you know it, meteor.
...our performing lineup is strong.
“...We have our strongman Baron bearbear, who knows true strength comes from within...”
So as you see, Sunset and meteor, we all have special talents and skills we use to entertain.
“...Our Magician, odai sayf kashif, who wields a wand and a kitchen knife with expert precision...”
Which we use to make people happy as we perform.
some of us have been performing for years, while others have only recently discovered their talents.
i’d rather see you make audiences laugh than move wooden beams.
that’s amazing. you nailed it.
“...and edith searle, our captain clown, who has skill with practical jokes and writing poems alike...”
Do you have a skill or talent you’d like to share with an audience?
we are all different from each other.
i don’t know why we crashed here, but let’s make the most of it.
i’m... not sure. our memory and skill banks were damaged in the crash.
so we don’t know what we are capable of doing.
i’m nervous about being in front of a crowd.
or what we might enjoy doing?
you’re accepted as you are in our carnival.
sunset, i know you have something to offer.
Ringleader kirby barks is right. we must have a talent we can share.
just like captain clown or Baron BearBear.
you’re my bestfriend, Meteor, even if you are older than me. we can do this together.
what if i fail? what if the audience doesn’t laugh? or laughs in the wrong way?
plus, we are so different than everyone else.
our learning banks are still active, and you’re the best robot i know.
aren’t i the only robot you know?
MR.Baron BearBear? we’re seeking our talents.
being strong simply requires discipline and practice.
Could you demonstrate how to be so strong?
ASking for guidance is already a great strength.
is today a good day to join the carnival?
I bet we have the strength to be baron botbots of the carnival.
the temperature does seem ideal.
this truck looks to have the same dimensions and weight distribution as a third generation capek rocket thruster.
too much Force, not enough Piston.
that’s my truck!
Could our hidden gears and motors be used for illusions?
So strength needs practice and discipline for proper movement and lifting capacity? Gotcha.
i’ll call in a favor. the town has a great mechanic. he’ll take care of it.
i’ve got deliveries to make. this town needs me.
we need a good teacher.
ah, robots, i am excited to meet you!
is today a good day to join the carnival?
the wind conditions seem optimal. we are in wand-erful spirits.
you and i will become great friends, sunset.
now, you are here to learn magic?
Lotus Opus, Fresco pesto, let salad reappear.
i can teach you magic.
Magic that has the power to work on an audience and performer alike.
magicians create or manipulate actual light, sound, and scents to create a believable illusion.
I shall create light and warmth out of thin air.
Focus, twist the wrist... ...aim the flame to entertain!
sleight of hand requires fine motor skills to entertain.
it’s a five alarm Fire! but it’s only noon.
I’M REALLY SORRY I lit YOUR TENT ON FIRE.
Water honor, thunder blunder, cloud the tent with rain to drain.
hey look, it’s the evening showers.
magic should be performed in outdoor, wide open spaces away from tents and rabbits.
Just as sunrise needs a sunset, so too does success need failure,
from which we learn.
performing magic brings me joy and i believe it can for you too.
i have yet to lose salad, my faithful sidekick.
as I’ve set my own tent on fire multiple times.
but it’s only halfpast noon.
Maybe we can learn from the clowns?
Afternoon question
A famous carnival join at the good of day?
And then i said to sunset, those carbon fiber enhancements really bring out the blue in your optical input relay sensors and then They said...
the key lime pie is more aerodynamic, the apple pie has greater impact, but the blueberry pie explodes with the greatest color.
jokes are best when they surprise and delight your audience. dad jokes are best when they are predictable and make your audience groan.
did you know that france is actually smaller than every other country combined?
for goodness bakes, you occu-pie my thoughts!
Disappointment stage shiny metal, clumsy laugh watching the quiet.
Later that evening in the ringleader’s wagon.
...and our weight was too much for aerial acrobatics....
...and the big top tent collapsed...
“...we then tried laying on a bed of nails...”
“...and we roped danced...”
“...and we bent all the nails...”
i...i...i think that’s enough lessons for today.
for the performance tonight, let’s keep you on the ground, away from heavy objects.
...but we reinforced the main support pole with composite reinforcement glue we made.
so it’s ready for tonight’s show.
“...and broke the rope...”
...and no use of pyrotechnics or fire. Right, Sunset? we flame to please, Meteor.
back in their tent, sunset and meteor clean up as best they can.
they want to look their best for opening night.
I cannot believe all we got to do today, Sunset!
and everyone we got to meet.
you look good dressed in pies. you were very a-pie-ling. no wonder your puns are bad because you are older than me.
no wonder your puns are so bad because you are shorter than me.
for our performance tonight let’s just do what kirby barks says we should do.
Sounds like a plan to me.
I wish we could have found something we are good at.
the 5un53t robot chassis is more agile standing lower to the ground.
FRESH LIKE LETTUCE!
“Come one, come all to the greatest show in cyclopean canyon!”
“we come from all across the southwest, from the ruins of the ancient hohokam, to the castle of montezuma, through verde valley and deep within the grand canyon.”
“We are the grand carnival fusion and we come with smiles on our faces, goodwill in our hearts, and a desire to amaze!”
“we have all your favorite performers, so hop on in like salad the magic bunny and grab a seat.”
It’s been years since the carnival last came to town. i can’t wait to see Baron bearbear. I hear the great majesto is magical!
my favorite is captain clown and her riddles! i want popcorn! can i have popcorn? please!!!
Mommy, do you remember the last time the carnival came to town?
i do,my sweet isabel. it was before the great mine opened, when i was a little girl just like you.
will i be old like you one day, mommy?
As the crowd settles down, the lights dim and the magic of the carnival begins!
it is your father’s and my wish for you that you grow old.
wow! you were alive before the great mine opened? you must be old.
that’s funny, dear.
when kirby barks smiles, the fun is about to begin.
we’re not clowning around when baron bearbear plants his feet on the ground and pushes strength towards the sky.
lay down your tools, shake off that mine dirt and hold your family’s hand tight.
grab food-on-astick, dip it in cheese, and get ready for the greatest night of your life!
the carnival begins now!
audience delight.
a dollop of cream, a pinch in thyme, let butterflies soar like your dreams in rhyme.
meow! Meow!
meow! Meow!
Tired, weary face clown frown now turns upside down
from the outer reaches of space! they tear trucks in half like paper mache!
i’m sitting on top of the world....
I’m rolling along, yes, rolling along.
and I’m quitting the blues of the world.
i’m singing a song, yes, singing a sooooonnng!
they throw fire from the palms of their hands! they’ll bring the roof down around our heads! nobody clapped? do you think they didn’t hear us?
I give you... the musical stylings of sunset and meteor.
so that didn’t go as expected.
...i thought our singing and dancing stopped the show...
why the interruption? they weren’t that bad.
Our mine is under attack! locusts on the horizon!! the sheriff needs all hands!!!
WE MUST defend the mine!
NOt the locust! we must go quickly!
We must get there in time!
Run with haste!
There’s no time to waste.
